Rail-joint.



H. FL ROACH.

RAIL Jouw.

APPLICATION ILED MAY 3.1915.

Patented July 3, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHE `1 LQMLRQL H. F. ROACH.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3 I9I5.

M231 QII Patented July 3, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- HARRY E. ROACH, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

RAIL-J 01N T.

isaiasi.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, iltllll't.

Application filed May 3, 1915. Serial No. 25,461.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY F. RoAcH, a citizen' of the United States,residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to rail joints, and has for its main object toprovide an inexpensive, light-weight rail joint which is so designedthat the wave motion of the rails throughout the track is continueduniformly through the joints on which the rails rest, therebyeliminating hard spots in the track and permitting practically equaldeflection throughout the track.

Another object is to provide a rail joint that can be made as strong andstiff as desired without liability of causing the joint to break therails or the rails to break thc joint, and which is so designed that thetie reactions throughout the entire track, including the joint tiereactions, are practically the sain Y And still another object is toprovide a rail joint that is more efficient in every respect than theangle bar splice member now used extensively for connecting railstogether and which can be manufactured and sold at a cost that is as lowor lower than the angle bar splice member now in common use. Otherobjects and desirable features of my invention will be hereinafter`pointed out.

The rail joint herein described embodies all of the good features andcharacteristics of the so-called Roach rail joint that is now inextensive use, but it is so designed that it contains less metal and canbe supported by a single track tie. It can either be rolled, forged orformed from cast metal, and it is provided with an integralrail-supporting portion which is so designed that the rails which reston the same have the e'ect of being hinged to the joint at the center ofthe joint. Said rail-supporting portion serves as the base plate of thejoint and the underside of the saine is flat or provided with ahorizontally-disposed bearing surface at the center of the joint so asto enable the joint to be mounted on a tie arranged directly underneaththe terminals of the rails. In one form of my invention said baseportion is comparatively short or of approximately the same length asthe width of a track tie, and in another form said base portion extendsthe entire length of the joint. In both forms, however, the underside ofthe base portion is fiat or provided with a horizontally-disposedbearing surface which is located at the center of the joint.

Figure l of the drawings is a side elevational view, partly broken away,of a rolled rail joint constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of said joint, 'showing one of theside members of the joint in vertical section.

F ig. 3 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, of a rail jointof the general type illustrated in Figs. l and 2, but formed from castmetal.

iF ig. 4: is an end elevational view, partly in vertical section, of therail joint shown iu Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational View of a cast metal rail joint constructedin accordance with my invention, but provided with a onepiece base platefor supporting the rails.

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional View of the joint shown in Fig. 5;and

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view, showing the inner side of the railoint member illustrated in Fig. 5.

Referring to Figs. l and 2 of the drawings which illustrate a rolledrail joint constructed in accordance with my present invention, Adesignates two members that are arranged on opposite sides of the rails,as shown in Fig. l, each of which is provided with a vertically-disposedweb 1 that extends longitudinally of the rails, and ahorizontally-disposed base plate 2 that extends the entire length of thejoint. Each of the base plates 2 is provided on its top face and atapproximately its center with a flat sur face 3, as shown in Fig. l, onwhich the end portions of the base iianges of the rails rest, theremaining portions of the top face of said base plate being inclineddownwardly from the rail-supporting surface 3 so as to prevent the baseflanges of the rails from normally resting on the end portions of thebase plates 2. Each of the members A is provided onits inner side with apoi tion 4 that bears upon the top faces of the base flanges of therails and thus securely clamps the rails down upon the iatrailsupporting surface S3 at the center of the joint. The underside ofeach of the base plates 2 is flat or parallel throughout its entirelength with the rail-supporting surface 3 on the top face of thebaseplate, so as to cause the members A to bear squarely and evenly upon atrack tie B that is arranged either at the center of the joint invertical alinement ivith'the terminals ofthe rails, as shown in Fig. 1,or lat apoint near one end of the joint. A joint of the constructionabove described canLbe made much shorter that thev so-calledRoach railjoint nowin general. use, owing to the fact that the ,jointis sodesignedthat it can be supported by a single tie arranged eithei` at the centerof the .joint or at one end of the same, this beingpossible on `accountofthe fact that the.undersideofthe base portion of thejoint ispai-.allel throughout its entire length with the rail-supporting.surface3 on which the ends of the rails rest.

. The advantage, of a railvvjoint of thisconstructionis that only theends ofthe rails normally rest onthe joint, thereby causing the rails tobe practically hinged to the joint at theicenteizof the joint. lVhen thejoint is 4 in .use ythe.l `wave `motion .of the. rails throughout theentire track is continued uniformly. through the joints, vandconsequently, the .deflection throughout the. entire track `ispractically equal, there being no hardspots inathe track and noliability of reverse strains being created in the joint.. The joint canbe made yas strongaind. stiff as desired Without liability ofcausingmhe.joint to break the-rails yorathe rails to break the joint, as noportions of=the joint bear against the undersides ofI thev heads of therails vand the joint is so designed asto permit the rails to deflectwithin the joint atthe ends of the joint, the joint merely `serving tolhold .the abutting ,rails in longitudinalv alinement with .eaclrother4and to hinge the t\vo ,rails togetherin such a Waythat `the railsandeflectunder load -Without liability of. rocking thejtiefthat supportsthe joint. In a vrail- Waygtrack equipped-with joints `of theconstruction.abovedescnibed the joint ties or theties that support lthejoints require no morelifting orraising than the. intermediate. ties onwhich the rails rest, the'. tie reactions' throughout the entire track,l,including the oint ties, being lpractically the same.

.In the form of --myinvention illustrated in Figs. Sand l lathe membersA( that are arranged on opposite sides of the rails are .for-med.v fromcast metal and are of substantiallythesame design as the rolled membersAshou'n; in Figsl and '2, except that the baseaportions 2a of themembers A.a1e shorter than the joint and of approximately the samellengtl-i as the width of the tie B on which the .joint rests. Another"slight change consists in reducing ,the lengtlnof the portions il@ ofthe members A. that hold the base flanges of the rails firmly down yvided on theirinner sides with integral, in-

clined braces 5 that reinforce and strengthen the horizontallydisposed.ribs or. flanges` 6 at the upper edgesof the membersili. bOn the outersidesof said Webs are oppositely-inclinedbraces 5aN that extendI from:thebase pla-testo the horizontallydi,sposed flanges '6 -at the upperedges of said Webs.

The jointillustratedin Figs. 5 to T, .inclusive, is formed `from castmetal and consists of a member C arranged at one side of the rails andvprovided. with ahcomparatively Wide base,pla,te 2b, that extendsunderneath the base. flanges of the rails, as shown in 6,V the chiefdistinctionlbetiveen this form of rail joint and the ones illustratedinFigs. l to 4C being that it is provided With a onepiece baseplate,instead Aof a longitudinallydivided` base plate. A member 7 is arrangeddirectly opposite the vertical web of the member C on. the, oppositeside ofthe rails soasl to cooperate with the member C to hold ,therails. in longitudinal alinement with each other. Onthe top y. face ofthe baseplate 2" `ofgthe member C .is a flat,horizontally-disposedhsurface 3 onwhichthe terminals of the'rails rest.The i'emaining portions of the top face of said base plate are inclineddownwardly in opposite idirections .from said supporting surface 3, asshown clearly in Fig. 5, so as to preventthe base `flanges of the railsfrom normallyI restingon any portions of the` joint, except theIiiatsurface 3 at the; center thereof. Said member C is, of course,provided With Va ybearing portion #lb that cooperatesuith the baseflanges of the rails to securely hold them on theflat railsupportingsurface at the center of the oint. The raily joint shown in Figs; to Tis also Aprovided with a novel means for preventing theraills, from.kinking when the end bolts of the .joint are.` tightened, saidmeansconsistingof integral, inwardly-,projectinglugs 8 on the inner sideo'fthe web ofA the member C arranged. at. the opposite ends of the same, as`shojvn in Fig. 7. Then the end bolts of the joint are tightened .saidlugs S ibear against the vertical Webs ofy therails, as s hoivnjin Fig.6, and thus prevent the lrails from beingvdranf'n toivardi the member Cyto suchl any .eXtentg thatuthe rails Will become kinked .or bent.Thisfeature is common to the `Roach. rail joint,"but none ofl ,they railjoints illustrated in ymy various prior patents are provided Withintegral lugs arrangedon the inner side of. the joint member at vtheends thereof for accomplishing this result.

In the form of my inventionv illustrated lao lll

in Figs. 5 to 7 the base plate is provided with a hole 9 for receivingspikes lO that engage the base flanges of the rails on the gage side ofthe track, and thus securely hold the rails in position in case the boltnuts on the bolts (not shown) that pass through the rails and the jointbecome displaced or stripped off by a derailed wheel or from any othercause, these spike holes 9 being so positioned with relation to the flatrail-bearing surface 3 on the base plate that there is no tendency forthe spikes in the same to work out of the ties. On the opposite side ofthe base plate 2"), a notch ll is formed in the edge of the same, asshown in Fig. 5, for receiving a spike l2 that is located at the centerof the joint approximately intermediate the two spikes 10 on theopposite side of the oint.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is:

l. A rail joint provided with a rigid base plate having a flatrail-bearing surface on its top face that supports the ends of the railsand .normally holds the base flanges thereof out of engagement with theend portions of the base plate, thereby permitting the rails to deflectdownwardly slightly at the ends of the' joint when a load passes overthe joint, said base plate being provided on its underside with a flattieengaging surface that is located at the center of the joint, therebyenabling a track tie to be arranged directly underneath the terminals ofthe rails.

2. A rail joint, comprising a rigid base plate provided with a top facewhich is so formed that only the extreme end portions of the baseflanges of the rails will normally rest on same, the underside of saidbase plate being flat throughout its entire length and the joint beingso designed that the rails can deflect downwardly slightly at the endsof the joint when a load passes over the joint.

3. A rail joint having a rail-supporting portion which is so designedthat only a comparatively small area of the top face thereof willnormally be engaged by the base flanges of the abutting rails that reston same, thereby permitting the rails to defleet slightly under load atthe ends of the joint so as to cause the wave motion of the rails to becontinued uniformly through the rail joints throughout the entire track,the underside of said rail-supporting portion being so formed that itwill rest firmly and squarely upon a tie that is located at the centerof the joint.

4;. A rail joint having a rigid rail-supporting portion provided on itstop face with a flat rail-bearing surface which is arranged between twooppositely-inclined surfaces that are normally spaced away from the baseflanges of the rails so as to permit the rails to deflect douf'nwardlyslightly at the ends of the joint when a load passes over the oint, theunderside of said rail-support ing portion being flat and parallelthroughout its entire length to the flat surface on the top face ofsaine on which the terminals of the rails rest.

5. A rail oint having a base plate of length than the portion of thejoint that eX- tends alongside of therails, said base plate beine`provided on its top face with a flat rail-bearing surface locatedintermediate two oppositely-inclined surfaces that arc normally spacedaway from the hase flanges of the rails and which permit the rails todeflect downwardly slightly at the ends of the joint when under loadathe underside of said base plate being flat or disposed horizontally tothe fiat rail-bearing surface on the top side of saine.

6. A rail joint, comprising a member that extends alongside of the railsand provided with a base portion Whose top face is so formed that onlythe ends of the abutting rails will normally engage same, the undersideof said base portion being flat through` out its entire length andparallel to the surface on said top face on which the abutting ends ofthe rails rest, means on said member which bears against the top facesof the base flanges of the rails so as to prevent them from risingupwardly off the supporting surface on said base portion.y integral lugsen said member arranged adjacent the ends of same which are adapted tobear against the vertical webs of the rails so as to prevent the railsfrom kinking when the end bolts of the joint are tightened.

7. A rail joint, comprising a cast membe that extends along one side ofthe rails and which comprises a base portion and a vertically-disposedweb integrally connected together, said base portion having an integralhorizontally-disposed flat surface on the top face thereof arrangedintermediate oppositely-inclined surfaces that are normally spaced awayfrom the base flanges of the rails, a bearing on the inner side of saidweb that acts upon the base flanges of the rails and holds them on saidflat surface, a flange extending longitudinally along the upper edge ofsaid web, and integral, inclined braces on the inner side of said webarranged intermediate said flange and said bearing.

8. A rail joint designed to be supported by a single tie and providedwith a base plate having an integral rail-bearing surface on which theterminals of the rails rest, the top face of said base plate being soconstructed that the joint permits the rails to deflect downwardlyslightly at the ends of the joint when under load, thereby permittingwave motion to exist without rockingor rolling the joint tie. i

9. A rail joint designed to be supported by a single tie and having abase plate provided on its top face with an integral 'ailbearing surfacethat is shorter than the'base plate and provided on its bottom face at apoint in vertical alineinent with said railbearing surface with atie-engaging surface that is parallel to said rail-bearing surface.

10. A one-tie rail joint provided with a hase plate that extends underthe rails, and a horiZontally-disposed web that extends longitudinallyof the rails, said base plate having an integral rail-bearing surface ofless dimensions than the hase plate on which thc terminals of the railsrest, and inclined braces on the outer side of said web integrallyconnected to said hase plate..

11. A one-tie rail joint provided with a hase plate that has an integralrail-hearing surface at approximately its center which lis of less areathan the portion of the base plate that rests' on the joint tie, saidbase plate having openings for receiving rail spikes or similar devicesthat engage one side of the base flanges of the rails in proximity tothe point where the rails rest on said hearing surface.

12. A one-tie rail joint provided with a hase plate that has an integralrail-hearing surface at approximately its centei'lwhich' is of less areathan the portion of the'base plate that rests on the joint tic, saidbase plate having openings for receiving rail spikes or similar devicesthat. engage one sidel of the hase flanges of the rails in proximity tothe point where the rails rest on said bearing surface, and a spikeopening in the opposite side of said hase plate arranged approximatelyintermediate the openings first referred to.

13. A one-tie rail joint provided with a Copies of this patent may beobtained for base plate that has an integral rail-bearing surface atapproximately .its center which is of less area than the portion of thevbase platethat rests onl the joint'tie, said base plate having openings;for receiving-rail spikes or similar devices that engage one side of thebase flanges of therails in proximity to the point vwhere'the rails reston said hearing surface, a spike opening in the vopposite side ofsaid'hase plate-'arranged approximately intermediate the Aopenings firstreferred to, ay vertically-disposed web that extends longitudinallyofthe rails, and oppositely-inclined braces on the outer side of saidweb integrallyv connected at their lower ends to said base plate. l

14. In a rail joint of the type in which the rails can deflectdownwardly slightly at the ends of thejoint under load,the combinationof a hase plate that is'shorter than the portion of the jointwhichcoperates with the webs of the rails, a bearing on said base.

lplate shorter than= said plate'for supporting vthe ends of the rails,and means that prevents the rails from kinking when the end bolts of thejoint are tightened.

15. In a rail joint of the type in which the railscan deflect downwardlyslightly at the endsof the joint under load,4 the combination of a baseplate shorter than the joint, and means for preventing the rails fromkinking when the end bolts of the joint are tightened.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature inthe presence of twowitnesses,

this first day of May? 1915.

` HARRY yF. Roxen.

l lllitnesses:

ELLS L. CHURCH, GEORGE BAinwnLL.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,`D. C. g

